Ringing the liberty bell throughout Blount County

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It’s been a brutal first week of early voting at the polls. Gerald Kirby, who lost his primary for County Commissioner Seat 10B to Jamie Daly, managed to get a monopoly permit for the whole grassy area, in front of the parking lot, except for a small piece to the side. The property belongs to the County, but a permit from the City of Maryville is required because the City maintains the side walks. The City should not give a permit to one candidate, at the exclusion of all others.

Kirby, and/or his supporters, repeatedly called the cops on anyone who put a chair and umbrella in the area, even though there was plenty of room. The cops repeatedly showed up and were apologetic and respectful telling everyone that Kirby had a monopoly and if they’d just move to the tiny patch of grass left, they could set their umbrellas up there.

There are a couple of other tiny grassy areas that the campaign volunteers set up on after a couple of days, when they learned that Kirby did not have a permit for those small areas. Sam Duck had a permit for the same area as Kirby in the May primary, but he didn’t call the cops on anyone. The problems didn’t stop with the monopoly permit.

Libby Breeding, Administrator of Elections, blew-up at two volunteers standing at Everett. An undercover detective, in an unmarked car, was sent to spy on the volunteers at Everett. After a volunteer handed the undercover detective literature and spoke briefly to him, the detective asked the volunteer if that was all he had been doing. The detective told the volunteer he was a detective, who was sent to see what the volunteers were doing and that he couldn’t see anything wrong with what the volunteer was doing. Unfortunately it didn’t stop there.

The next day a woman complained saying she was being harassed by a volunteer, but the volunteer never talked to the woman. Several people have commented that Blount County elections are starting to resemble Chicago style politics. Thankfully some of the harassment inflicted upon the volunteers may stop after a State election official told Libby Breeding that the volunteers were within their rights to campaign and to leave them alone.

Another interesting development is the support of Republican Party officers for Kirby who lost the Republican primary. There were four winners of Republican primary elections for County Commission at the Courthouse on Friday and one write-in candidate. Susan Mills, the former Chairman of the Blount County Republican Party, is the 2nd district State Executive Committeewoman for the Republican Party of Tennessee and is unopposed on the ballot. She spent her time standing under the write-in candidate’s tent (Kirby). Kenneth Melton was also under the Kirby tent. Susan Mills left without speaking to the other 3 Republican candidates for County Commission who were all close by. Those three ladies are Jamie Daly, Karen Miller and Tona Monroe.

What’s the position of Republican Party of Blount County? Does the Party support it’s nominees for office or not? Party leaders and numerous Republican elected officials spent the first week of early voting hanging out under the Kirby write-in tent.

Susan Mills, Republican State Executive Committeewoman for the 2nd district standing under the write-in Kirby tent

It is absolutely perplexing to me, that in numerous posts directed to the ‘Betterment of Blount County Citizens’, you have relentlessly ranted about protocol and rules being broken by Blount County Officials. The above post and lack of merit there of, is a continual whine about those that do follow the rules and protocol. Is this not a hypocritical ‘Tyrant Rant’ on “YOUR” part? You have an individual here, Mr. Kirby, who chooses to take the proper channels to acquire a ‘Legal Permit’ to set up on restricted property. Weather or not this property is owned by the taxpayers of this great county, makes no difference! We also own all of the Schools in Blount County but I can assure you that my daughters soccer team, is not permitted to practice on the soccer fields without the proper permission. Would it be possible for us to assume, because it is “Owned by US”, BC taxpayers, that it would be acceptable to encroach on another teams practicing time, who has done so? I think not! If for one second any of you have convinced yourselves that “You” are the answer to ‘Better Government for Blount County”, you should rethink it! If You can’t convince yourselves of that…Stop talking out of both sides of your mouth! A RULE IS A RULE or a “City Ordinance” is in place for a reason! You don’t get to pick and choose what suits ‘Your” needs either! Get a Permit or “STAY OFF THE GRASS!!!

Re-read the post. In the past, permits have been obtained, but this time we couldn’t get a permit because a monopoly was given to ONE candidate. One candidate was given the whole grassy area, even though he’s never had more than 2 volunteers at once in addition to the candidate and Melton. Those who have obtained permits in the past have never called the law on everyone else who stands in the grass.

What you should be perplexed about is why the City of Maryville gave a permit for the whole area to one candidate when there’s room for several. However, this shouldn’t be a problem in the future because I’ve been told that for future elections one candidate will not receive a monopoly for the whole area.

Me thinks that some may need a summary:
1. City of Maryville needs to revise its permit policy (done?)
2, Republican Party Leadership is not backing its elected candidates
3. The state did not approve of the way Libby Breeding was handling things

However, the statement of facts will sting if you are guilty…
Statement of facts is not whining!!

This is the Factual Information….THREE permits are available to THREE Candidates, IN THREE different locations on the Court House Lawn…#ONE..the grassy area between the Court House and the Greenbelt Parking, with both ends of this area available for EVERY SINGLE Candidate, that chooses to, to place signs. So ONE Candidate, and ONLY ONE, can obtain a permit for this Area. ..#TWO on FRONT of the Court House Lawn. ONLY ONE! ….#THREE on North/West side of Court House Lawn..ONLY ONE! That is a Total of THREE!!! There was no MONOPLY on ANY OF THE CANDIDATE’S PART! It is a FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED BASIS! If the other Candidates, especially MONROE, DALY and MILLER, didn’t do the proper research, before and obviously after, to familiarize themselves to the RULES, THEIR MISGIVINGS!
Ms Monroe, Thank You for your “REREAD” suggestion, but I fully comprehend The first time I read a post……BCRadical, No summation necessary, These are The Facts! The allegations of Mr Kirby placing the calls, and the remarks by The Maryville Police Department, were also inaccurate. MPD informed them “If They didn’t have a Permit, Get in Line FIRST, SECOND or THIRD, next time! It is of My Opinion, NOBODY should be on the Court House Lawn.
If this is the kind of Governing you all think is for the “Betterment of The Citizens of Blount County”..My God Help Us All! I happened on this site, not by accident. This type of Politicking is going to be the down fall of Our Future. The Youth, who “ARE” Educated and Professional, will want no part of it. The People need to be well informed on all issues, weather, Locally, State, or Nationally. To desire that “The People” be deprived of Technical Instruction on ANY aspect of the VOTING PROCESS is definitely Unconstitutional! Many of our Senior Citizens are intimidated by the voting machines, on a good day. Feeling they are confident and understand the process, will encourage them to GO to the Polls! You ALL with this Agenda should be ASHAMED!! This is Not a Joke and No Laughing Matter! I will share this site with everyone on every list I have and the perimeters there of! I am a Native Blount Countian, along with everyone I represent. Should that fact be listed #1 on anybody’s Resume’? I think NOT! Narrow Minded People on a Narrow Minded Path, get nowhere but to THE END! FAST! The Best Man/Woman doesn’t always win, and for that…All The People Suffer! We too, deserve a “TENT” vs an “UMBRELLA”, therefore, WE will, be FIRST In Line…

Becky have you been standing at the Courthouse the whole time? Did you receive the calls to the Maryville Police Dept.? Did you hear what the police officers told those not under the Kirby write-in tent?

The 3 permit situation is understood. I’ve witnessed Kirby and the machine in action and the matter isn’t as rosy as you’re wanting it to be. If the City of Maryville rectifies this in the future, the permit issue won’t be a problem. Libby Breeding, under cover detectives, and set ups shouldn’t be a problem either, if the machine bothers to follow what the State official told them.

The public needs to know that one candidate was given a permit for the entire grassy area in front of the Courthouse. In the past, when Sam Duck obtained the permit for the same area he did not try to prevent anyone else from setting up, even though there’s plenty of room to set up more than one tent/umbrella. Thus, the reformers are willing to share and don’t call the cops every time something doesn’t go their way. The machine doesn’t extend the same courtesy.

The non-Kirby volunteers found a way to work around the matter. That didn’t stop the machine from harassing them elsewhere. The State put the kibosh on the rest of the harassment.

Obviously this bothers you, but you only have part of the facts. No woman volunteer has been present at the Kirby write-in tent at the Courthouse during most/all of early voting for the Republican Party officials aren’t backing their nominees tent spectacle. People should take your comments with a grain of salt, especially when you go off on a tangent about the town crier.

This is the Factual Information….THREE permits are available to THREE Candidates, IN THREE different locations on the Court House Lawn…#ONE..the grassy area between the Court House and the Greenbelt Parking, with both ends of this area available for EVERY SINGLE Candidate, that chooses to, to place signs. So ONE Candidate, and ONLY ONE, can obtain a permit for this Area. ..#TWO on FRONT of the Court House Lawn. ONLY ONE! ….#THREE on North/West side of Court House Lawn..ONLY ONE! That is a Total of THREE!!! There was no MONOPLY on ANY OF THE CANDIDATE’S PART! It is a FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED BASIS! If the other Candidates, especially MONROE, DALY and MILLER, didn’t do the proper research, before and obviously after, to familiarize themselves to the RULES, THEIR MISGIVINGS!
Ms Monroe, Thank You for your “REREAD” suggestion, but I fully comprehend The first time I read a post……BCRadical, No summation necessary, These are The Facts! The allegations of Mr Kirby placing the calls, and the remarks by The Maryville Police Department, were also inaccurate. MPD informed them “If They didn’t have a Permit, Get in Line FIRST, SECOND or THIRD, next time! It is of My Opinion, NOBODY should be on the Court House Lawn.
If this is the kind of Governing you all think is for the “Betterment of The Citizens of Blount County”..My God Help Us All! I happened on this site, not by accident. This type of Politicking is going to be the down fall of Our Future. The Youth, who “ARE” Educated and Professional, will want no part of it. The People need to be well informed on all issues, weather, Locally, State, or Nationally. To desire that “The People” be deprived of Technical Instruction on ANY aspect of the VOTING PROCESS is definitely Unconstitutional! Many of our Senior Citizens are intimidated by the voting machines, on a good day. Feeling they are confident and understand the process, will encourage them to GO to the Polls! You ALL with this Agenda should be ASHAMED!! This is Not a Joke and No Laughing Matter! I will share this site with everyone on every list I have and the perimeters there of! I am a Native Blount Countian, along with everyone I represent. Should that fact be listed #1 on anybody’s Resume’? I think NOT! Narrow Minded People on a Narrow Minded Path, get nowhere but to THE END! FAST! The Best Man/Woman doesn’t always win, and for that…All The People Suffer! We too, deserve a “TENT” vs an “UMBRELLA”, therefore, WE will, be FIRST In Line…

I hope the corrupt officials who lost and are write-ins never get elected again. I hope they never have a chance again to economically, or with lawless, passive-aggressive politic maneuvers injure our people again. Only Lucifer would be proud of their shenanigans. These are my words alone !

‘The Town Crier’…an officer of the court who makes public pronouncements as required by the court. The crier can also be used to make public announcements in the street. Criers often dress elaborately, in a red and gold robe, white breeches, black boots and a tricorne hat.
They carry a handbell to attract peoples attention, as they shout the words “hear ye, hear ye!” before making their announcements. Did anyone spot any County Official under “The Tent” fitting this description???? I don’t know who did! This is my point! All of this is ridiculous and definitely not pertinent to the Governing of Blount County!

Mr. BC ….Mr. Kirby Told me that HE Did Not. I did not. I don’t know who did. As of 7:30 pm on July 28, I will not make any further comments on this site. People can read and decide on their ‘Own’ accord, the truth on any of these matters, or if any of them actually ‘Matter’ in Governing Our County. Obviously, or so I thought it was, I was making lite of the emphasis being placed on ‘Trivial Complaints’ that have been greatly blown out of proportion, when I made ‘The Town Crier’ post……….. Mr BCRadical, you have been very polite, Thank You. It is not my intent to falsely accuse or rudely present any view or truth I may have. Unless any of my post are deleted, both sides of the story have now been presented………… Ms. Monroe, I can also assure You, under NO Circumstance, am I naïve! I am NOT trying to paint a rosy picture of anything. Nor am I paranoid or a ‘Conspiracy Theorists’, I just have “Common Sense.” Good Luck to You on Your New Commission Seat! You are going to Need It!!! I also know that many Female Volunteers for ‘The Kirby Campaign’ have been in ‘The Tent’! ) You have made a simple means of shade, ‘It’s Own Entity’!) I know this …for I AM ONE OF THEM!

Becky, I have seen women volunteers at the Kirby tent at Pellissippi and I’ve seen several women stand under Kirby’s tent at the Courthouse. However, I haven’t seen any women handing out Kirby literature at the Courthouse. If they are, it would be briefly while they are standing there and not for a full day. There are plenty of women stopping by, but none of them are sitting there throughout the entire day.

Thank you for the wish of good luck. What we need more of is fasting and prayer and the good hand of Divine Providence. It’s been awful the last week. God Almighty can have mercy on the good people of Blount County. Let freedom ring!

Tona…..Why, you feel you have to monitor either site for a Head and Gender Count is bewildering to me. If you are casing The Pellissippi Campus Voting Polls, which is not effecting you at this point, YOU have taken this beyond obsession! If you desire to know something that badly …Just ask him ..He will tell You. Is He the only one running in this election? Go Monitor Them and Get over IT!! You are IN!!!!

Well I see that the poster who said she would not make any further comments on this site after 7:30 has already commented twice. That means we should believe everything else that you are saying.

Your “casing” comment is over the top. The questions and comments regarding women volunteers was to point out that there’s no way you could know whether Kirby called the cops or not because you weren’t there long enough to know. You’ve already admitted that you didn’t know if he did or not. You just took his word that he didn’t.

When an official of the Election Government, Libby Breeding approaches a campaigner abiding by the law yelling unprofessionally stating she
#1 blocking traffic — not true
#1 harassing a voter—not true
#3 Ms Breeding in one week made 3 trips to the polite campaigners
Each day Maryville Police Officers arrived one day they were called
twice.
#4 then there was a plant at the Everett Voting facility who was
never spoken to by the campaigner. This person entered the building
started yelling “that man outside harassed me”. Big FAT LIE, drama Queen
#5 A voter inside came out and told our campaigner what was said
#6 our campaigner wrote down the license plate number, we will find out
who it was & that person should be ashamed of herself put on a good drama
event. Police also arrived. The election ladies would not take it upon themselves to call the police. Therefore Ms Breeding had to be the one
to call the police.
#7 The campaigners have been harassed & they never broke the law
#8 Maryville Police officers were very kind and apologetic as they knew
the campaigner’s were not law breakers but disliked by the “Machine”
#9 Libby Breeding has a supervisor at the State Dept Of Elections in Nashville
They were called with each harassment from Ms Breeding and each time
an officer arrived.
#10 The campaigner, State Dept of Elections Supervisor in Nashville,
Libby Breeding were on a conference call. Of course Ms Breeding denied
any wrong doing but the person in Nashville did not believe her (Ms Breeding lied through her teeth). Nashville Election office told Ms Breeding that we
are within our rights and her job is to protect our rights campaigning at the polls. As long as the campaigner follows the rules , which all the campaigners at the polls are doing. We can knock on car windows, talk to anyone and hand out literature.
#11 All the “Tea Party” candidates are well educated, love Blount Co., want
to keep it a safe and a beautiful place to live, want the children to have the best
education in BC. The candidates that are working hard to save their
seats they won in the primary. The “Machine or good ol boys” do not
want anyone upsetting their control and power over the citizens in their
district. Until this last primary election they did not campaign or knock
on doors to introduce themselves now they are working together to
defeat the ethical morale candidates that won in the primary. It is
time to change the commissioners.
#12 After getting re-elected 12 to 16 years is way to long what happened
to term limits? Why would anyone want to be an elected official for that
long. It is all about Power and Control. I would trust a democrat to
be in their place any day as they are nothing but liberal so call Republicans.
A lot of them run as a Republican as they fear they will not get elected
as a Democrat. A fair and balanced commission would be a change.

Becky, I have been reading your comments to Ms Monroe and everything
she says you contradict her . You are absolutely correct she is “IN”
but is spending prescious time helping others to remain in. If you have been to any commission meetings at the courthouse on Thursdays you can see the mess these commissioners are in that is why it is important to replace all incumbents with new people. TERM LIMITS this is not a career being on this board. I have seen Mr. Kirby he never opens his mouth to ask a questions and believe me I would have plenty of questions if I were a commissioner as it is other people’s money he is spending. Mr. Kirby owes it to his constituents to represent them in an
intelligent manner by questioning why the departments are not cutting their budgets in an a bad economy with a stormy forecast. Look around you and see the many foreclosed homes, money is not being spent on shopping. Residents are out of jobs and this commission does nothing
except voting “YEA”. They are anxious to raise taxes and this counties
budget can not keep on with no halt in spending. I have to maintain my
spending and have no credit cards and absolutely no debt. The new candidates that I am supporting are also debt free including Ms Monroe. Those are the candidates I want representing me as they know
how to live with a budget. Your a friend of Mr. Kirby suggest that he
work more for the people and not for his own personal power which is all I see him do sit and stare no interaction at all with the agenda just votes “YEA”.